Bald Eagle vs Emu
Haliaeetus leucocephalus compared with Dromaius novaehollandiae
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bald Eagle | Emu |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Dromaius novaehollandiae |
| Order | Accipitriformes | Casuariiformes |
| Family | Accipitridae | Dromaiidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 79.0 cm (31.1 in) | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 203.0 cm (79.9 in) | 20.0 cm (7.9 in) |
| Weight | 4300.0 g (151.68 oz) | 45000.0 g (1587.33 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily fish, also waterfowl, small mammals, and carrion. Hunts by swooping down to snatch fish … | Plants, seeds, fruits, flowers, and insects. Swallows large stones and charcoal to grind food in … |
| Clutch Size | 1-4 | 5-24 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Bald Eagle
Large bodies of open water including coasts, rivers, and lakes with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting.
Emu
Open grasslands, savanna woodlands, scrublands, and semi-arid plains across Australia. Avoids dense forest and true desert.
Song & Call Comparison
Bald Eagle
High-pitched, chattering whistle: a rapid 'kleek-kik-ik-ik-ik'. Surprisingly weak and thin for such a large raptor. Also gives a lower 'kwit-kwit' call near the nest.
Emu
Deep, resonant booming grunt 'e-moo', often repeated 3 times. Females give a deep drumming call produced by an inflatable throat pouch. Generally low-pitched and far-carrying.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bald Eagle
North America from Alaska and Canada through the contiguous United States to northern Mexico.
Emu
Throughout mainland Australia. Absent from Tasmania, where the Tasmanian emu was driven to extinction by 1850.
Conservation Status
Bald Eagle
Emu
How to Tell Them Apart
Bald Eagle
Adults have a dark brown body with a striking white head and tail. Juveniles are mottled brown and white, reaching full adult plumage at age five.
Large, hooked, bright yellow bill
Emu
Shaggy grey-brown plumage with double-shafted feathers giving a loose, hair-like appearance. Bare blue skin on the face and neck.
Broad, flat, dark grey bill
About These Birds
Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is the national bird and symbol of the United States. Once endangered due to DDT pesticide use, it made a remarkable recovery and was removed from the endangered species list in 2007. These powerful raptors build the largest tree nests of any bird, some weighing over two tons.
Emu
The emu is the second-tallest living bird and the largest bird native to Australia. It is the only bird with calf muscles, enabling powerful running at up to 50 km/h. In the famous Emu War of 1932, the Australian military was deployed against crop-raiding emus — and the emus arguably won.